12 October 2007

despite being one of two louisiana state senators, (the other being 'doc' hines) who killed hb730, the sweeping 'glass pockets' ethics reform, state senator robert adley, in a story published on 11 october 2007, disingenuously tells the shreveport times "My goal is to set the standard for ethics in the nation by adding to Louisiana's existing laws," Adley said, "complete sunshine in the state budgeting process and income disclosure for elected officials that does not deter good people from seeking elective office."

louisiana old boy politicians like senator adley never cease to amaze. they obviously have no shame and think the rest of us cant remember beyond what we had for breakfast.

thats the only explanation we can think of when state senator robert adley uttered the above line for publication to shreveport times reporter tarah holland. of course a lot of the fault lies with the main stream media for not following up and asking tough questions to begin with. although most if not all of the blame for this must fall not onto the lowly reporter but on the editor's heads for allowing self serving politicians to make such ridiculous and insulting statements with no worry of the main stream media calling them on it.

senator robert adley appears to use his legislative status to benefit his own business interests

in the 2006 regular legislative session senator adley authored and pushed through the legislature his senate bill 655. the dead pelican reported in may 2006 that [sb655]

"...is stirring quite some controversy...senate bill 655, which basically gives big oil companies amnesty on oil field cleanup. it will also allow the department of natural resources to take private property from homeowners while imposing a minimal six inch cleanup rule on oil companies...some claim that the bill is designed to give adley and his friends...a "pass," so they won't have to clean up the oil spills that they have created."

the louisiana sec'y of state corporations database in may 2006 listed several oil and/or energy companies that senator adley is the president or partner in, including: circle r drilling limited; abco petroleum corporation and pelican gas management incorporated.

Adley said the judge’s “ridiculous” ruling was made in a “little town, localized court system” that is indicative of the kind of favorable ruling for local landowners that local courts had unfairly adjudicated in legacy site cases in the past.

now thats rich, a good ol boy accusing a court of being a good ol boy.

senator adley helps kill 'glass pockets' ethics reform presumably because of his business dealings with state municipalities...

the best example of this is what happened right here in alexandria: on 03 july 2007, senator adley made a presentation for the louisiana municipal gas authority to the alexandria city council utility committee [video here].

senator adley said that the lmga is "a political subdivision in itself in the state of louisiana." and that "the lmga will deliver the gas to the members." from what wst... can gather from senator adley's presentation lmga works with the lucrative bonds market. one bank senator adley mentioned that underwrites their bonds is j.p. morgan.

senator adley and the lmga wants the city of alexandria to sign on to a prepay agreement for natural gas running for up to fifteen years. senator adley said that "we have to have all the contracts in place to create the security and collateral for the bond holders to buy the bonds. once we have made that purchase we [the lmga] in place, we enter into a financial swap with merrill lynch."

we further base our hypothesis on senator adley working to kill 'glass pockets' ethics reform on remarks caught on video made by alexandria city councilman charles frederick smith in the 28 august 2007 utility committee meeting. councilman smith said

"if you not down there in the legislature everyday you dont know what they gonna pass. do you know that they (the legislature) started off an amendment asking everybody to publish their income tax , their wife's income tax and every income they had in baton rouge and when they finish they sent it down to all the councilmen, the mayor...and everybody, you will have to disclose everything that you make, if you was rich or you was poor everybody...and i tell you lma had to fight like the devil to get that defeated and you know its coming back again." turning to councilman harry silver, smith said "they want to show how much money you have." ~ alexandria city councilman charles frederick smith

obviously its not a very big leap to make in order to understand that senator adley knew that if he wanted to continue to do business with state municipalities he must stop at all costs 'glass pockets' with its provisions for all politicians including the locals from making financial disclosures. see the video here of state representative charlie dewitt's argument from the house floor in which he explains why "locals" financial disclosure inclusion was so important to true ethics reform.

one can only conclude that senator robert adley is a relic of louisiana's good ol boy past and a fixture in its present sleaziness. although tyler nezat is in his early twenties he should be given a chance because reelecting robert adley will only insure more of the same.